Hinckley Reflects on Her Time Helping Girls in Peru

Hello, again! I am back to update you on the latter half of my abroad experience. Since my last blog post, I have had many wonderful experiences and lasting memories. I was able to attend a soccer game where one of Cusco's two main teams was playing and it was great to see how passionate the fans are! I also had the pleasure of attending the graduation, or “promotion,” ceremonies of the 5 year olds and the 6^th grade. These celebrations were so beautiful and fun, and it was great to see how proud the parents, teachers, and girls were of their accomplishments.

I was lucky to have the opportunity to go to one of the Seven Wonders of the World- Machu Picchu. I was also lucky to be able to spend four days hiking there- talk about a work out! I did the Salkantay 4-Day Trek that reached about 14,000 feet which was an incredible experience. The views were spectacular and it was a great feeling of accomplishment reaching the peaks. Finally reaching Machu Picchu was a great reward. It got even better when I reached the summit of Wynapicchu, the mountain that looks down on Machu Picchu, whose view of Machu Picchu is so impressive because you can see all of it from above.

I was really excited when I was able to coach my lacrosse curriculum, the one that I had created for GSW in high school, to one of the classes at a school a couple weeks ago. The girls picked lax up pretty quickly and loved it. We practiced catching, throwing, ground balls, shooting, and defense, and then got right into a scrimmage. It was so rewarding to see how quickly they picked up the sport and how eager they were to learn a new sport and be some of the first girls in Peru to play lacrosse.

Throughout my time in Peru, I learned a lot. Not only did I learn a lot about the world and about how different cultures live, but I also learned a lot about myself. By going to Peru alone, I had the invaluable experience of being alone- not always surrounded by friends and family like I am here in the US. While I enjoyed this experience and learned a lot about myself, it has made me very excited to be back at Dartmouth with my friends and our team. I learned many lessons while being abroad, but I think the main lesson that I learned that I will incorporate into my life is that we truly have the opportunity to shape our lives in the way in which we want. I met so many travellers passing through Cusco who taught me that we are in control of our own lives and I think this was an important lesson for me, especially looking to after graduation from Dartmouth.

While I have loved my time abroad and living in Peru, I have definitely missed Dartmouth. I am so excited to return to share my experiences and hear about others' abroad experiences when we are all back together on campus. Being abroad alone has really made me reflect on the special community feel that Dartmouth has. I was actually really lucky to have a part of Dartmouth with me while I was in Peru because during my time there, both the Dartmouth LSA+ in Cusco was there, as well as the Dartmouth ECON 70 class that spent two weeks in Peru. Although the scenery and weather in Peru are great, they are very different from the beautiful white snow at Dartmouth. I am surprised to admit this, but I do miss the snowy, white, (cold), Dartmouth landscape with the image of Baker. Furthermore, I am excited to get back on campus and to have the shared experience of doing the same thing as my friends. I miss being with my teammates and working hard together. Also, because I have not taken classes since June, I am eager to learn in the classroom again and to apply some of the lessons that I have learned here in Peru.

While being abroad, I have had many wonderful lasting memories. I have seen and learned so much about the country and from the people here. If I had to narrow down my favorite experiences, or most lasting memories, they would be the following two: Machu Picchu and “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.” Last week, as I mentioned, I completed the 4-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, a coveted treasure here in Peru. While the hike was difficult and definitely physically and mentally challenging, reaching the astonishing views and peaks was well worth it. Hiking to the top of Wynapicchu and looking down on the ruins of the city of Machu Picchu was incredible. Being so high up gives you such a different perspective and I loved putting myself in the shoes of the Incas and imagining their empire. My other lasting memory is of the song “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.” While this may seem very simple, as it is, this song carries so much meaning for me now. As an English Teacher to 4 and 5-year old girls, I had to find a way to teach simple English in a fun way- songs! I taught the girls the “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” song with the hand motions and a dance to the music and they loved it! It was such a rewarding feeling to see how eager the girls were to learn English when they would run up to me in the morning asking to practice the song again. I will never forget how proud and happy I felt when they would come up to me at the bus stop with their siblings or their parents and show me that they knew the song and that they had taught it to their families. This reminded me how important it is to cultivate the love of learning in education.

Not only have I had experiences and made lasting memories here in Peru, but I have also learned so much about the world and about myself. Being a teacher and a coach puts you in a position of great leadership. I learned so much while actually teaching and coaching my classes, and this reminded me of how much learning can be done outside of the classroom. I feel that this experience helped me gain more confidence in myself by being in front of my students and leading them. There were times when I was unsure of what I was going to teach next and this helped me to learn how to think on my feet. I also feel that in order to be a successful leader, one must know himself/herself. This experience of going to Peru alone helped me to not only learn more about myself, but also to learn to be more independent. I was proud that I was able to start a pen pal program between my middle school and the school where I was working in Peru because this helped me realize that I can initiate and follow through with plans and goals. Overall, I think the most important lesson that I learned throughout this experience is how to communicate effectively and approach different people in different ways depending on their learning styles, personalities, or strengths.

I have learned so much from my time abroad and I am so thankful that I was able to have this experience. Looking forward to getting back to Dartmouth for our 2016 season!

- Kristen Hinckley

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